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Yuichi Yuuki's main goal for the upcoming period is to master the Shadow Clone Technique.
Although his talent is considerable, his massive chakra reserve—thanks to his Uzumaki lineage—makes precise control a bit challenging at first. But it's only a slight difficulty for someone of his potential.
Unlike those burdened with a tailed beast like Naruto, Yuichi's chakra is vast but not unruly. His Uzumaki heritage grants him a huge chakra reserve filled with vitality, and chakra control is a natural skill of the clan, especially considering their expertise in sealing techniques, which demand precise chakra manipulation.
Yuichi believed that one day his chakra would rival that of the tailed beasts. He had no doubt about this in his heart.
Nearby, Yuhi Kurenai was practicing her Dragon Fire Technique. Though she had already learned it, her focus on chakra control and basic techniques like tree climbing and water walking had left her needing more practice with ninjutsu. Her father, Yuhi Shinku, had given her a special training method: she needed to focus on controlling her chakra as much as possible to release ninjutsu with the minimum amount necessary. This would sharpen her control while simultaneously improving her proficiency with the Dragon Fire Technique.
Yuichi glanced at her briefly before focusing on his Shadow Clone practice. The technique had a relatively simple hand seal sequence: Ram → Snake → Tiger. Yuichi took a deep breath, slowly formed the seals, and called out, "Shadow Clone Technique!"
A puff of smoke rose, and eight identical clones appeared around him.
At first, Yuichi was pleased with himself. "I really am a genius!" he thought, recalling how quickly Naruto had mastered the Multi-Shadow Clone Technique. Yuichi had learned the standard Shadow Clone Technique in a single day.
But soon, the clones started chatting amongst themselves.
"I'm definitely the best clone!"
"Shut up, you say that every time! It's getting embarrassing."
"Let's just agree, Red Hair gets the credit this time!"
Their banter quickly wiped the smile off Yuichi's face, veins bulging on his forehead. Although he should have been thrilled to create eight clones on his first try, their chatter annoyed him.
Shadow clones inherit the subconscious personality traits of the user. Since there's no fear of death or failure, a person's true nature often shines through in their clones.
After canceling the clones, Yuichi stood there, deep in thought. He didn't want to believe that this reflected his true personality. He'd rather think he'd made some kind of mistake in the jutsu's execution.
Before he could dwell further, Hatake Kakashi and his group arrived.
Uchiha Obito immediately complained, "You're really something, making us wait forever while you slack off."
Yuichi gave him a knowing smile. "You? Waiting for me?"
"Of course!" Obito insisted, trying to look serious. "We've been here forever!"
Yuichi saw through him easily. "Sure... except you're never on time."
"You!!!"
Obito wanted to argue further, but Sarutobi Asuma pulled him back, embarrassed. Everyone knew Obito had a habit of being late.
As the group settled in, Kakashi approached, mildly annoyed. "Are you not coming to school anymore?"
Yuichi shrugged. "The teachers don't seem to care whether we're there or not."
Kakashi's expression hardened as he clenched his fist. He resisted the urge to confront Yuichi and walked over to practice swordsmanship on a wooden stake instead. The steady thud of his wooden blade hitting the target echoed across the training field.
Meanwhile, Might Guy, Uchiha Obito, and Asuma Sarutobi spread out to train in their own areas. Yuichi found himself alone, watching his friends push themselves, each focused on their respective goals. He knew he couldn't let himself fall behind.
"I've worked too hard to get where I am now," he thought. "I can't let them catch up."
Determined, Yuichi formed the seals again. This time, four shadow clones materialized in front of him.
"You understand what I need, right?" Yuichi asked.
"No, not really," one of the clones replied.
"Figure it out!" Yuichi commanded, ignoring their hesitation. He assigned each clone a task: one to develop his Fire Release, another to refine his Chidori.
But as he sent them off, one clone couldn't help but add with a grin, "Or maybe we'll just slack off together and call it 'developing Chidori.'"
Yuichi sighed. He still had work to do.
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